Sub-Zero Antarctic Expedition

An American, Todd Carmichael, and a Briton, Jason De Carteret, are attempting the trek between Hercules Inlet and the South Pole.

Carmichael, 44, is an inveterate walker. Further out he is in the wide blue yonder of our planet, the better he feels. "It was by running that I learnt the benefits of jogging," he explains. "As I ate up the miles, day after day, running just about anywhere in the world, I came to the conclusion that perseverance and determination in life are the best ingredients for success." It wasn't surprising then that, having completed runs on the majority of the other continents, Todd should turn his attention to Antarctica.

The other half of the duo, Jason De Carteret, is a professional adventurer who has been leading expeditions all over the world for the past 19 years. In more recent times, he has been to both the North and South Poles on various occasions. Jason's passion for the Polar Regions began when he took part in a dog-sled race in Alaska. Since then, his boundless enthusiasm has taken him back to the poles many times and has the record for the fastest overland journey to South Pole in 2005 (69hrs 21mins)..

Before that, he had made his name as part of a trans-Africa adventure. This project came about when he was leading a unit called Operation Stronghold in Zimbabwe, which was put in place to fight the wave of rampant poaching in the area at the time.

In 1999, he returned to Britain to set up a travel agency that specialises in organising expeditions to far-off places, as well as theme-based journeys.

The trek he is attempting with Todd between Hercules Inlet and the South Pole is designed to raise public awareness on the effects of climate change and the role being played by regions such as the Antarctic and the Arctic in these changes.